Home to New Zealand’s top rated beach, the world’s most accessible active marine volcano, kiwifruit, glow worms, street art, and more, the region is aptly named the Bay of Plenty. It is filled with exciting and fun things to do in Tauranga (the largest city), Mount Maunganui (coastal beach town), and the surrounding region. It’s …
Kiwifruit Country: Tour a Kiwifruit Orchard in New Zealand
Kiwifruit Country produces a classic New Zealand icon, the kiwi fruit. And not just a few, they grow 1,500 tonnes annually. That’s a lot of fruit, especially when you think that each piece is handpicked. We toured their kiwifruit orchard just days before the start of the annual ten-week picking season. The fruit on the vines was …
Papamoa Beach Resort: the Perfect Stay in Bay of Plenty NZ
Coffee in hand, I watched the rolling surf as the sun rises over the horizon. There is no better way to start the day, and I did this each morning from my beachfront villa at the Papamoa Beach Resort in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. From here, my days only got better. I found …
Ngatea Water Gardens: Nature with a Sense of Humour in New Zealand
Offering surprises around every corner, Ngatea Water Gardens in New Zealand exceeded our expectations on every level. While the landscape is beyond lovely and the birds and fish plentiful, it is both the owner’s sense of humour and the massive “Can Museum” that caught us off guard. Ngatea Water Gardens The five-acre water gardens are …
How to Photograph a Light Festival: Enjoying Auckland at Night
Vivid colours, artistic lighting, and marine projections brought with it the challenge of photographing a light festival in Auckland at night. Bright Nights brought Viaduct Harbour alive with a light and sound spectacular curated by international award-winning light artist Angus Muir Design. As always, New Zealand knows how to throw a party. “The waterfront means …
East Cape NZ Driving Itinerary: Gisborne to Opotiki
Along the east coast of the North Island, and often overlooked by tourists, East Cape NZ juts out into the ocean. A piece of real New Zealand, East Cape is nature, history, and culture. The dramatic coastal drive from Gisborne to Opotiki is 334 kilometres, a 5.5-hour drive over mostly paved roads. It can easily be …
20 Things To Do In Gisborne NZ – First Place to See the New Day
Gisborne New Zealand is the first place in the world to see each new day. A small coastal city off the main tourist track, there are a surprising number of unique things to do in Gisborne. Steeped in Maori culture and history, it is worth a visit. We spent our limited time here hiking, relaxing in …
Zealandia Eco-Sanctuary by Night and Day
Tucked up over the city of Wellington is Zealandia, an ecosanctuary reminiscent of the days before humans arrived in New Zealand. A predator-proof fence surrounds the Zealandia sanctuary, creating an “island” within New Zealand’s capital city and allowing birds and other native creatures to live wild as nature intended. Whether you are a nature or …
Exploring Waipu Caves and Waipu Cove New Zealand
One of the things I love about living in New Zealand is that we don’t have to go far to have an adventure. We drove less than two hours north of Auckland to Waipu Cove campground (with beachside cabins). In the morning we explored Waipu Caves, one of the glow worm caves in New Zealand …
Quinn’s Post Joins Two Powerful War Exhibits in Wellington NZ
Te Papa Tongarewa, the National Museum of New Zealand is home to the country’s history and that includes our involvement in the wars. Its newest exhibit Gallipoli, The Scale of our War is one of three must-see war exhibits in Wellington, the nations capital city. It was created by created by Weta Workshop (The Lord of the Rings) …
One Tree Hill an Auckland Icon, but Where’s the Tree?
As you reach the top of Maungakiekie, more commonly known as One Tree Hill, the first and most obvious question is, “Where is the tree?” That won’t be your question for long, as newly planted trees are continuing to grow. Interesting History of One Tree Hill (and the missing tree) Located adjacent to beautiful Cornwall …
Arataki Visitor Centre: Gateway to Auckland’s Subtropical Rainforest
A world apart from city life, the Arataki Visitor Centre is the gateway to the Waitakere Ranges. This lush green subtropical rainforest is just a 30-minute drive from Auckland’s city centre. Here, we found ourselves surrounded by the rugged natural beauty one expects to see in New Zealand. Greeted by an eleven-meter tall Maori pou (post) at the …
Azure Hokitika Gorge, Vibrant Sunsets and Greenstone to Carve
Hokitika Gorge, on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, is one of those magical places I will remember forever. Hokitika Gorge The turquoise waters of the gorge is a must see if you are on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. The Hokitika Gorge walk is an easy trail …
Hidden History and Quirky Facts about Auckland’s Queen Street
Every major city has a street that does it all; in Auckland, this is Queen Street. This main thoroughfare was once a dirty canal leading out to sea. Today, Queen Street is the heart of the central business district (CBD), a shopper’s paradise, and tourist destination. And, unbeknownst to many, the canal still runs deep …
Volvo Ocean Race Around the World – Auckland Stopover
Auckland knows how to throw a party, and I could feel the excitement in the air as I approached. The City of Sails is perfectly situated for a stopover of Volvo Ocean Race Around the World. Auckland has been a host for nearly all of the races since it’s inception in 1973. A gruelling test …
